To commemorate the 75th anniversary of Dramamine, a well-known medication for nausea relief and motion sickness prevention, the brand launched a unique campaign focused on an item that its product has rendered almost obsolete – the barf bag.
This innovative campaign began with a documentary titled “The Last Barf Bag: A Tribute to a Cultural Icon,” which premiered on Dramamine’s YouTube channel. The 14-minute educational film delves into the history of the barf bag, which coincidentally was introduced the same year as Dramamine in 1949.
The documentary features insights from doctors, flight attendants, historians, and everyday people, all reflecting on the barf bag’s cultural significance. It also highlights stories from dedicated collectors who have gathered thousands of barf bags from various airlines over the years. To complement the film, a pop-up exhibition in New York City displayed hundreds of historic and rare barf bags, showcasing designs that span over five decades. This exhibition was held for one day only on April 3, coinciding with the documentary’s online release.
Developed by agency FCB Chicago, the campaign’s final core element aimed to preserve the legacy of barf bags through the ‘This is Not a Barf Bag’ collection. This collection, available on Dramamine’s online store, features repurposed barf bags with creative designs suggesting alternative uses, such as puppets, chef’s hats, gloves, envelopes, vases, popcorn bags, and coolers. Each redesigned bag is sold for $5, with a $10 option that includes a sample of Dramamine.
Artist Jessie Maxwell Bearden contributed to the campaign by creating the designs for the upcycled barf bags. She also designed a one-of-a-kind puffer jacket made from old barf bag designs, which was initially displayed at the New York exhibition. This unique jacket was later given away to a lucky visitor on Dramamine’s online store on April 17.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions 2024
- Health & Wellness Grand Prix
- Gold and Silver in Brand Experience & Activation
- Silver and Bronze in Health & Wellness
- Silver in Outdoor
- Bronze in Film
CREDITS
Brand: Dramamine (Prestige Consumer Health). Senior Brand Manager: Erica Nesbitt. Creative Agencies: FCB Chicago. Media Agency: The Shipyard. PR Agency: 360PR+ Boston. Production Company: Sunny Sixteen Los Angeles. Post Production & VFX: 456 Studios. Music & Sound: JSM Music.
